Yelich, Moustakas chase Brewers’ record
By JERRY TAPP
Through games of June 9, the Brewers have a pair of players near the top of the list for most home runs this season: Christian Yelich leads the majors with 24 long balls while Mike Moustakas is tied for third with 20.
Yelich and Moustakas (pictured above) became the 15th and 16th players in Brewers history to have 20 or more home runs before the All-Star break. When you consider there are 25 more games remaining on the schedule (as of June 10) for the Brew Crew before this year’s All-Star Game on July 9, Yelich and “Moose” could put up some pretty impressive home run numbers before the All-Star break.
Yelich has 24 HR’s in 59 games and is on a pace to have 34 homers at the All-Star break; Moustakas has 20 HRs in 59 games and is on a pace for 28 home runs before the All-Star Game.
Prince Fielder holds the Brewers record for most home runs prior to the All-Star Game with 29… he did it in 2007. That means that Yelich has a very real chance of surpassing Fielder’s record of 29 and Moustakas could certainly make a run at that number as well.
Fielder is currently one of four Brewers players to have 25 or more HRs before the All-Star Game. The others: Jeromy Burnitz (26 in 1999), Carlos Lee (26 in 2006) and Richie Sexson (25 in 2003). There are three players who are tied with Yelich with 24 home runs before the All-Star break: Jesus Aguilar (he had 24 last season), Greg Vaughn (24 in 1996) and Ryan Braun (he had 24 in 2012).
Yelich could make a run at becoming one of only a handful of MLB players to have 35 or more home runs before the All-Star Game. As noted above, he is on a pace to have 34 before the All-Star Game. The MLB record is 39 held by Barry Bonds; he did that in 2001. Here are the six players who had 35 or more home runs before the All-Star Game in baseball history.
Barry Bonds, 39, 2001
Mark McGwire, 37, 1998
Reggie Jackson, 37, 1969
Chris Davis, 37, 2013
Luis Gonzalez, 35, 2001
Ken Griffey, Jr., 35 in 1998
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